Gallstones

Minority Women's Health > American Indians/Alaska Natives > Health Topics > Gallstones

Gallstones are pieces of solid matter that form in the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile, which helps your body digest food. Gallstones form when parts of the bile form hard crystals. There are 2 types of gallstones: pigment (bilirubin) and cholesterol. Most people have cholesterol gallstones. They sometimes form as lots of small stones or may form as one big stone. A lot of times, gallstones don't cause any symptoms. When they do, some common symptoms include:

• a severe pain in the upper abdomen (stomach area) or right side that sometimes lasts for hours
• pain in the right shoulder or between your shoulder blades
• nausea or throwing up
• sweating
• indigestion (upset stomach) or stomach bloating after a fatty meal

Some factors that put you more at risk for gallstones include:

• obesity
• too much estrogen
• being female
• over 60 years old
• taking drugs that lower cholesterol
• diabetes
• rapid weight loss
• fasting

Because of high levels of cholesterol in their bile, more American Indians have gallstones than other women in the U.S. Among the Pima Indians of Arizona, 70 percent of women have gallstones by age 30.

Current as of December 2007